Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-09-17
A PRISON SHOE-SHOF.
How the COnvicts Work In the Virginia
State Penitentiary.

now the tonNicts WORK In the Virginia
State Penitentiary. |
One visit made by members of Post |
five of Lynn while at Richmond was Of |
unusual interest, and slight descrip-
ton of it will no doubt be interesting
The visit referred to was that enjoyed
by a very few TO the Richmond peni-
:entiary. This old-time prison is one
Of the oldest buildings of its kind in
the United States. 1t was built in 1897
and now contains eight hundred and
eighteen prisoners, four-fifths of whom
are blacks. All are clothed in prison
uniform, The youngest prisoner with
in the walls is a colored boy, thirteen
years old, who is serving life sentence
for the murder of his brother by shoot
ing.
As many Of our citizens know. the
industry of the pententiary is shoe
making; the work is controlled by and
is for shoe company of Lynn, Mass,
and great amount of work is exc
cutcd, forty to fifty eases of shoes be-
inc turned out per day. The large
prison is really mammoth shoe shop,
as no other work is carried on there.
Every branch of the work is kept by
itself, and each room and the prisoners
therein are in charge of a foreman and
oversecr. The foreman pays his whole
attention to directing the work, while
the oyerseer's duty is to preserve order,
enforce the rules of the institution.
only as far as his room goes, however,
and only for such length of time as his
men are in his room doing their work.
Every prisoner, when he has learned
one branch of shoemaking, is required
to do stint. Some learn quickly, and
soon become fine workmen, performing
their duty III quick time, and then take
half Il days rest. Others, in the
same line of work, require all
lay to do the certain number
Of pairs expected of them. A certain
length of time is given beginners in
which to work before the stint is given.
In case the novice sho VS. Il disposition
to do his best, and still does not per-
form the required amount of work per
day, because of his lack of experience
and practice, he receives warning,
and an additional suggestion, perhaps,
| nn l, oil n
| the amount of work assigned him. Or
the other hand, if Il man will not lcTn
on refuses TO do the number of pairs re-
quircd, he is taken by the oversccr to a
place of retirement, held over barr~
by two conyicts and given a ccrtair
number Of lashcs on the back. Aftsi
his there is little or no trouble.
The whipping is done with singh
leather lash. Punishment ranges from
five to thirty-nine laShes, the lattel
number being but seldom administered
md only in eases of very serious miSds
meanor. An occasional spoilng of {
shoe while in course of manufacture
calls for u rcprimand from the over
seer, but when the accidents occur of
ten and are caused by carelesSnesS, ol
perhaps done on purpose, the barrel ac'
is next on the programme.
In the lasting department there art
many expert workmcn, and some o1
the lasters are not likely to become un'
accustomed to the work AS they are il
for life, An ordinary prisoner, when
learning to last, usually requires seven
weeks practice before he can do gooC
work reasonably fast Some have
learned in five weeks, but such eases arc
rare, Those who are expert in what
ever department they are employed
| are permitted to do extra work, anC
receive pay in cash, The prisoners are
allowed five ounces of tobacco pei
week, and when not at work they HrC
allowed to smoke their pipesi in the cor
ridors facing their cells, where they
promenade or bask in the san in from
of their cell door. This rs the universe
custom when the prisoner has finished
his stint and takes his lay-oil rest anc
recreation.
The prisoners do more or less trad
| ing among themselves, money, tobacco
sugar and similar articles being til,
stock in trade. The male inmates alsc
60 in for little amusement among
themselves, One specially, which af
fords amusement and a trade com
bned. is the administering of laSheS
one prisoner with another, in exchange
for half cup of sugar. a piece of to
bacco or a trinket. One receives tn,
whipping and the sugar, while the 9th
crs apply the rod and enjoy the fun
Our party was informed that some q
the negroes thought nothing of tn,
lash, and would take "thirty-nine'
without finch. Such ones are no
plenty.
Of the white men and women among
the prisoners, but few are able to reaC
or write. The greater portion OF al
who occupy cells in the prison wer'
committed for thicving. This is par
ticularly the case with the women pris
oners, who are in Il wing of the peni
tcntiary by themselves. The womel
do stitching, although Il good part o
the sewing machines are in anothc
part of the prison and are operated b.
men.-LynM Mass. Item.
| Xankne ShreuudnaSS.